The Game
by JDFerra
Summary: After defeating Voldermort Harry Potter left the wizarding world behind. A decade later he's working as a political fixer, and he's the best in the game. When a job offer drags him back into the magical world he finds himself going head to head with his old friend Hermione in a political game of chess. It's Harry vs Hermione in an election to remember.


It was dark now. They were sat by the window, and the music of a group of performers mixed with the chatter of the crowds drifted up from the street below like smoke from fire.

"You glass-eyed cock gobbler! You bald wank-stain" shouted Leo at the man in the corner, who paid him no notice and continued to stand there silently.

"There's no point Leo, he hasn't replied to us all afternoon. We're just going to have to wait until someone comes for us" said Harry

"Harry's right Leo, don't waste your breath" said Jerome.

The three men were shackled to chairs in a dimly-lit yet well tended room filled with the mingled scents of smoked meats and spices and perfume from the street outside. They didn't remember how they got here, nor did they know who brought them here. In their line of work, and with the amount of enemies they'd made, the possibilities were endless. For what must have been the hundredth time in the last couple of hours, Harry looked around and assessed the situation. The room was bare and empty apart from the chairs which they were bound to, and there was only one door which was currently guarded by the bald man whom Leo had been deriding moments earlier in the hope of getting a reaction. To his left, the hulking figure of Jerome was bound to an iron chair, looking like a fully grown adult trying to fit into a child's car seat. Leo was shackled to a chair on his right, writhing and wriggling with that endless energy of his, trying to worm his way out of his constraints. There was a single window in the room, but they were about four or five stories high and every time they had tried calling for help no one had appeared to hear them over the noise below.

"So, what's the plan" said Leo in a hushed voice

"Well" said Harry "the plan is usually that I go and do something stupid, you join in, and them when we fuck it up Jerome bursts in and breaks some faces. For some reason I don't think that's going to work this time"

"I'd laugh if it wasn't so true" said Jerome

"Look, we need to fi-" said Harry, but he was interrupted by a knock on the door. The bald man opened it and was met by a smaller man in a three piece suit.

"Bring them to the mistress' chambers please Khabib" he said

"Yes Sir" said the bald man, before untying Harry, Leo and Jerome from their chairs but leaving their hands bound. They were led out of the room and into a brightly-lit corridor with numerous paintings and portraits lining the walls. At the end of the corridor they were brought to a halt, before being ushered into another room and told to wait.

The first thing Harry realized about this office was that it belonged to someone important. Everything, from the desk to the carpet to the chairs, was high-end and exuded esteem and class. Moments later the door opened again, and a slender blonde woman entered, walking with an air of confidence and assurance which denoted power. This was someone who was used to being respected.

"Good evening gentlemen, it's a pleasure to see you" she said

"Fuck you" Harry replied

"That's no way to greet an old friend, Harry" she said with a smirk

"Friend? I've never met you in my life. And I'm fairly certain that friends don't kidnap other friends and tie them to chairs" Harry replied

"Well, it depends on what kind of friends you are, I used to know this girl…" said Leo

"Not now Leo" said Harry

"My my, that one has a sense of humor" said the woman "Anyway, I do apologise for the, uh, inconvenience gentlemen, but you must understand that we take security very seriously around here"

"Just tell us who you are and what the fuck you want with us" said Harry

"Very well," she said "my name is Daphne Greengrass, and I want to offer you a job"

"Daphne Greengr-" Harry said, before coming to the realization of who she was. "Wait what!"

"I'm glad to see that you remember me" she said

"Harry, you know this woman?" Jerome asked

"I used to know her, in my old life" replied Harry

"Ah, so you have told them about the magical world" she said

"Of course, I tell them everything" said Harry

"Good that saves us a lot of explaining. Well Harry, I am going to be blunt with you. We need an election won, and we hear that you're the man who can help us do it. I always knew you had a bit of a slytherin side to you" she said

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. The question is why the fuck should I" he said.

The woman stood and waved her wand, unshackling their hands, before placing it on the table in front of her.

"You must believe me when I say that I mean you no harm, I am simply here to offer you a job"

"Normally when people offer me a job" said Harry "they invite me to their office, not kidnap me"

"And once again I apologise" Daphne said, "but please just listen to what I have to say. If you reject the job then you and your friends are free to go, on that you have my word"

"Daphne, I left the magical world for a reason, I had to leave all of the pain of those years behind. Now you want me to go back and work in the world which I abandoned?"

"Harry, please, just listen to my offer"

"Fine. Speak." He said

"Once you defeated you-know-who, the magical world established a new system of government, with an election every three years and two major parties. We represent the Maple Wand party" she said

"And who is the other one?" asked Jerome

"The Order of the Phoenix" said Daphne

"You can't be fucking serious" said Harry

"I'm afraid I am" she said, "they formed a party a month or so after the war ended, saying that now that we were at peace they could do more good through politics then they could as a militia. They've won both elections since then."

"How come?" asked Harry

"They're campaign manager. She's a strategic mastermind, and the main reason that they won the last two elections. Her propaganda campaigns constantly remind everyone that the Order was so instrumental in the defeat of Voldermort, and how the entire wizarding world is indebted to them. She manages to find dirt on everyone of our candidates, whilst maintaining a perfect public image for her own ones."

"And who is this woman who can out maneuver you so easily?" Leo asked

"Ask Harry, I'm sure he can manage to guess" said Daphne

"Hermione" he said

"So Harry, here is my offer to you. Join us as campaign manager, win this election for us and show us that all the rumors my agents heard about you being the best in the business are true. You and your team will have almost unlimited resources, and when it's done you'll each be paid five million in whatever currency you choose. That is my offer. It is non-negotiable".

Harry thought for a minute. He could feel Leo and Jerome looking at him expectantly. He had no wish to go back into the magical world, and he had hoped he could have left it behind for good. But, in all honesty, he was getting bored. He had just fixed the French and the Swedish elections, and the game had lost the excitement it used to have. Perhaps adding magic into the mix would shake things up, and he could test his abilities in a new environment.

"Fuck it," he said "I'm in".

He turned to look at Jerome and Leo, and before he could even ask the question Jerome said "Of course we're with you Harry"

"Yeah, let's show these David Blaine motherfuckers how real fixers work. They won't know what hit 'em" said Leo

"I'm glad you're on board" said Daphne, "now let me take you back to headquarters, we can fill you in on all you need to know and you can get to work"

"And where are headquarters?" asked Harry

"A little place called Diagon Alley" replied Daphne


End file.
